


A Good Thing

by heartsdesire456



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Mpreg, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-14
Updated: 2013-06-14
Packaged: 2017-12-14 23:10:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/842460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki and Tony, recently married, eagerly await the birth of their child. However, the impending welcome of the new little Avenger is not the only thing the team has to fear.</p><p>When a dark cloud gathers on the horizon, Loki's past comes to haunt them at the worst possible moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Good Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Is the last part in the trilogy of [ and ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/816683)[, but as with each part, it CAN be read fully on it's own without much trouble.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/825140)

“After a public engagement, it recently came to light that Billionaire Tony Stark and his former super villain partner, Loki Odinson, eloped sometime in the last few months. The couple were last known to mention their engagement at a fashion event in Monaco during the Grand Prix weekend. It is unclear how long after that they married in secret-“

“Mute.” Tony rolled his eyes, glancing at Maria. “Maria, really? Is that necessary this early?” he asked, shuffling past her towards the kitchen.

She stood and turned to follow, heels clicking. “Sorry, Mr. Stark, but we have to know what to expect and the best way is gossip news.”

Tony snorted. “There’s nothing ‘new’ about it. People freaking out over my marriage isn’t shocking anybody.” He looked down at his wrist and smiled as he touched the thin, silver thread. Loki had a matching golden thread around his wrist. They weren’t really thread. They were a nearly indestructible metal Tony had synthesized to have elasticity so they didn’t snag and cut into their wrists. “Trust me, Maria, you’ll have so many fewer scandals to deal with than my old Pepper.”

Maria bit back a smile. “Does that include reminding you again that Ms. Potts refuses to let you call me the new Pepper?” she asked. “Look, Mr. Stark, I’m just trying to make sure we stay ahead of any scandals about your marriage-“

“You know who else was named Maria?” Tony interrupted as he pressed the button on the coffee maker. “My mother,” he said, turning to face her. “And even if you have the same name, I don’t need you telling me what to do like she did.” He clapped. “Now, on to more pressing matters! What time can I expect everybody’s favorite Agent to come back from wherever the hell he’s been?”

Maria looked at her phone. “I don’t see anything about Agent Coulson coming back from the conference in Mexico City.”

Tony made a face. “Barton was too perky last night, Coulson’s coming home,” he argued.

“Anthony!” Tony and Maria both looked up when Loki came into the kitchen. “Anthony, I want pancakes. Can I have pancakes?” he whined sleepily. He shuffled over to Tony and pouted down at him. “I’m starving, make me food.”

Tony’s entire face brightened and he tilted his chin up, greeting Loki with a kiss. “Good morning, Beautiful.”

Loki groaned. “Beautiful for a balloon,” he sighed, looking down at his middle. “If I get any larger, I will surely explode.”

Tony leaned down and kissed his belly. “Good morning, Baby.” He smiled when his hand received a kick. “Yeah, that’s Daddy’s hand.” He looked up at Loki’s face and tilted his head. “Personally, I think you’re beautiful so suck it.”

Loki managed an eye roll and reluctant smile. “You are a liar, my dear.”

“No, I’m not-“ Loki narrowed his eyes. “Okay I am, but not about your gorgeousness.” He smirked and slapped Loki’s ass. “Go sit on the couch and put your feet up, I’ll cook some breakfast.”

Loki grinned and kissed Tony sweetly. “Careful, Mr. Stark, I’ll think you’re coming onto me,” he teased, cupping Tony’s cheek in his hand.

Tony smirked. “Mmmm never know, Mr. Stark.” He pecked his hand as he pulled away. “Go on, your ankles were swollen last night, you shouldn’t be on your feet so much. I’ll bring you pancakes.”

Loki groaned and rubbed at his back. “You’re the best husband ever, Anthony, if anyone tries to steal you I’ll murder her,” he said, turning to shuffle out of the kitchen.

Tony just grinned at the still slightly terrified look Maria got when Loki threatened to kill people. “Hey, he’s reformed, it’s mostly just talk,” he said with a shrug. “Now, read me my schedule for the day while I feed my heavily pregnant husband before he eats one of us instead,” he instructed as he headed to the refrigerator.

Maria cleared her throat. “Well, you have a call with the people from London about the arc reactor they want for their factory in India at ten, and then Ms. Potts is threatening to buy you out of the company again if you skip another board meeting such as the one this afternoon at two-thirty.”

Tony sighed dramatically. “You give your best friend a billion dollar corporation and what does it get you? Nagging! Redheads, man,” he said and Maria rolled her eyes.

“Okay, so how about I tell your husband your schedule and we let him make sure you get there on time?” she threatened and Tony gaped in shock.

“You wouldn’t!” She just smirked. Tony sighed. “Damn, you really are like Pepper,” he grumbled as he walked to the counter with his supplies and started making pancake batter.

~

Tony smiled fondly at the way Loki’s happy moans as Tony rubbed his feet sounded almost the same as the sounds he made in bed. His mind went back to the conversation he was having as the voice in his ear finished. “I’m sorry Mr. Higginbotham, but installation can’t begin for at least six months.” He rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know that’s a long wait, but this is highly patented technology. I am personally hands on with the final touches so that nobody else has the blueprints for my technology and I can’t possibly be in India for six months.” He chuckled as the man questioned him. “Actually it’s not a line of waiting. Don’t think I’m pushing you aside, sir, your business is very much appreciated. It’s just that I’m expecting my first child any week now and I just can’t put business ahead of family. I’ll want to be here for a few months to enjoy my first few months as a parent and no matter how grateful I am for interest in my arc technology, I cannot possibly prioritize that above my family.” He noticed a slightly dopey smile on Loki’s face and dug his fingers into the arch of Loki’s foot, promptly transforming his smile into a blissful expression as he moaned. He grinned as soon as his potential client conceded. “I knew you would understand, sir. You can rest assured that as soon as I’m willing to travel for work again after my baby is born, your order will be the first one we fulfill. Alright, thank you. Have a nice day,” he said, then clicked the earpiece and tugged it out tossing it aside. “There, done with that,” he said, then smiled over at Loki. “I’m all yours for six months now.”

Loki smirked. “I’d say something filthy but by this point, I cannot even be completely sure my penis is still even down there, so sex is out,” he supplied, earning a laugh from Tony.

“Trust me, Babe, the amount of times you get up to pee in the night suggests it’s still there,” he promised, leaning over to press a kiss to Loki’s belly. “You’re getting gigantic, Mini-Me,” he said, laying his cheek against Loki’s belly for a minute.

Loki nodded, looking forlorn. “At this rate, he will be born larger than his father,” he huffed.

Tony rolled his eyes. “That’s kind of dramatic. I may be a little on the short side but _seriously_?!”

Loki scoffed. “Look at my middle, Anthony!” He gestured to his belly. “If this child is curled into a ball in there, he’ll be born the size of a toddler! Hell, it’ll be a miracle if he makes it _out_!”

Tony chuckled. “You’re not nearly as large as you seem to think you are.” He stood up and leaned over to kiss Loki sweetly. “I’ve got to go shower and change for this board meeting. Try and walk around some, okay? Last thing you need is lack of exercise adding to your sore legs.”

Loki smiled and nodded. “Alright, my dear.” He watched Tony leave the room and smiled, looking down at his belly. “Your father is kind of wonderful,” he said as he rubbed his belly. “We are lucky to have him.”

~ 

Loki was fairly certain that Agent Barton was out to kill him. 

Oh he’d forgiven him for the whole ‘mind control’ thing after Loki let him punch him a few times back when he’d tentatively gone ‘good’, as Tony called it. But as he was the only one free to wait on Loki (Tony was paying him a lot for it), he was currently talking about everything and anything and refusing to shut up and let Loki watch television in peace.

“And then Phil was all like, ‘If you do it again, no sex for a month’, psh, like THAT’s realistic-“

Loki groaned and flung an arm off the couch. “If I kill you with magic to shut you up, does that count as murder?” he asked and Clint rolled his eyes.

“What?! I’m trying to keep you entertained-“

“The television is entertaining, your prattling along about whatever the hell you’re on about is just annoying.” He glowered at him. “And I really could not care less about your sex life.”

Barton rolled his eyes. “I’ve had to _hear_ your sex life so bite me.”

Loki smirked deviously. “Not my fault my husband and I are both well versed in eliciting the most pleasure from carnal acts as possible.” He sighed, twirling a piece of hair. “And to think nobody else will get to know how incredible I am in bed.”

Clint mimed gagging. “You two are probably a breeding pool for STDs.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Anthony is healthy and I’m a _god_ ,” he stressed. “You can have many partners without becoming disease ridden. It’s simple common sense.”

Clint chuckled. “Hey, everybody has slip-ups. Hell, look at you,” he said and Loki scoffed, rubbing his middle.

“Anthony and I had no reason to use human protections. I cannot get ill and Anthony is very healthy and I was not aware at that time that I could become pregnant.” He smiled sweetly at his middle. “I’m very grateful for that folly, for my child is a precious gift,” he said as he stroked his middle with a happy smile. 

Clint smiled, shaking his head. “I’m sitting beside a pregnant man. What is my life?” He hummed. “I wonder if I’ll ever have children.”

Loki made a face. “You would be a dreadful father. You would let your children run around like wild animals.” He yawned. “Go get me chocolate cake,” he demanded suddenly.

Clint groaned. “You’re going to be so fat, man,” he said as he pushed himself to his feet. “You’ve got a baby to make you still look skinny in other places, but I bet you have the biggest ass and we just don’t notice because of the baby-“

“Food or I’ll kill you,” Loki threatened, smirking when Clint walked out to get him his cake.

“So nice to hear you threatening the people feeding you, Brother,” Thor teased as he came in, stepping aside for Clint to pass. “Pregnancy has done wonders for your temper.”

Loki quirked an eyebrow. “And you’re clearly learning sarcasm, how lovely,” he droned. Loki glared when Thor lifted his feet and sat beneath them, but couldn’t do much to stop him. “Be a dear and rub my poor feet while you’re under them?” Loki teased, smirking when Thor rolled his eyes. “What? I’m your poor, pregnant baby brother, am I not?” He widened his eyes, trying to look innocent. “My slender frame was not made to carry extra weight-“

“Lies,” Thor scoffed, though he did take one of Loki’s feet into his hands. “But still, how is your child? Healthy and happy, I hope?” he asked and Loki nodded, sliding a hand across his large stomach with a faint smile.

“I believe the child to be quite healthy. Very near ready to join us in the world, I think.” He chuckled. “Who would have guessed I would one day bear the son of a Midgardian?”

Thor smiled. “You still think the child a son?” he asked, and Loki nodded.

“If it is not a boy I will be very surprised,” he confided. “Though that is not to say a daughter would be at all less welcomed as a son. Anthony and I just want a happy, healthy child.” He hummed. “Remind me to make a trip to Asgard and bring back some golden apples. The amount that Anthony has aged since I tried to kill him before I came back to sanity is alarming.”

Thor chuckled. “These humans do live such short lives, do they not?” he asked and Loki glowered.

“Oh yes, remind me that my husband and child are both excessively short-living creatures why don’t you,” he hissed, earning an apologetic look from Thor. “Trust me, I’m searching for a way to prolong the lifespan of mortals. I’m well aware it cannot be much, but from what I understand, Anthony has passed the halfway point of the average lifespan of a male human of his condition. That just won’t do,” he said simply, crossing his arms. 

Thor clapped a hand around his ankle. “You worry too much. Enjoy what you have while you have it and do not dwell on how quickly things on Midgard come to pass.”

Loki waved a hand. “Easy for you to say, you’re not married to – as well as pregnant with – a human.”

“No,” he agreed, then smiled sadly. “But the woman I hold dear is a tiny, fragile little mortal so I have some idea of your fears.”

Loki chuckled. “Well I will agree there, I did not know how small humans truly came until I met that woman.” He sighed, looking at his belly. “I just can’t help have fears. My baby will be born soon and while they are already fragile things, mine is a mortal. It can become ill and suffer greatly. I do not have the luxury of Asgardian healers here should he break an arm, so I’ll have to suffer watching my child go through longer amounts of pain. Everything scares me because my child will be so fragile and my husband is somewhat fragile apart from the spells I’ve cast on him and it’s so unnerving to think something so simple as a disease could take them both away.”

Thor nodded. “I understand your fears, Brother, but do remember that you are still a prince of Asgard. Should there ever be something so severe you need the assistance of gods, you will have it. It is more than most families on Midgard can hope for.”

Loki chuckled. “That is true. I can just see Mother’s reaction to me bringing my child there because of an illness that would be fatal here which can be cured by healers in minutes. She would laugh so.”

“Will you let Mother meet your child?” Thor asked uneasily. “Is that going to happen some day?”

Loki sighed. “I do not know but I would like to believe I may one day bring my child to Asgard to see where I came from. At least once.”

Thor clapped him on the knee. “Then it shall be. Your child will be welcomed with a great feast in the halls of Valhalla! For Mother’s sake if nothing else.”

Loki smiled down at his belly and nodded. “Perhaps.”

~

Loki waddled – which was what he did, Tony refused to accept Loki’s denials – into the kitchen just as JARVIS announced Thor had arrived with Jane and her assistant. “Yay, Jane!” Tony cried, reaching out wordlessly to high-five Bruce, who didn’t even look up from his tablet.

Loki slid into the seat beside Tony and sighed. “If you and Dr. Banner monopolize Ms. Foster’s time again, my dear brother may strangle you,” he pointed out. “Or worse, he’ll set Ms. Lewis on you.”

Tony smirked. “I like Darcy. She’s funny and she has a nice rack. Great combination.”

Loki glowered. “She’s nearly a child, you pervert,” he grumbled. “Bruce how ever do you put up with my husband?” he asked dryly.

Bruce chuckled. “I’m using him for his brain and money, it’s worth the trouble.”

Loki smirked at Tony. “How fun, I’m using him for his body.”

“Lies,” Tony said lightly, tilting his chin up to kiss Loki sweetly. “You love me, don’t deny it, Babe.” He laid his hand on Loki’s tummy, smiling at how it bumped the table. “Although my body was useful for one thing.”

“Just one?” Loki purred, leaning in to kiss Tony again. “Mmmm alright, I admit, I do, indeed, love you very much.”

Tony started to reply, but someone cleared their throat and he looked up to see Steve blushing at the counter. He leered. “What, a little man-on-god lovin’ embarrassing for you, Cap?”

Loki smiled deviously at Steve. “I’m sorry, Steven, but it’s the pregnancy,” he said, patting his belly with an exaggeratedly puppy-eyed look. “It’s driving me mad, I cannot possibly keep my hands off of him,” he said, then slid his hand along Tony’s thigh – visible by the angle they were sitting – and winked. “I guess having his child in me makes me want something else of his in me as well-“

“Okay, okay, really guys,” Bruce groaned, waving a hand. “Even I’m starting to feel nauseated and I’m extremely open minded. Steve’s going to _cry_ ,” he said, gesturing to Steve, who was nearing purple he was blushing so badly.

They were saved from Tony’s reply by the arrival of Thor and the two ladies. “Jane!” Tony cried excitedly.

Jane beamed and came over. “Hey Tony,” she said, leaning down to kiss his cheek before jogging around the table to hug Bruce. “Bruce! It’s been forever,” she said, flopping down beside him. “I’m dying to see what you two have got up to since I’ve been gone,” she said.

Darcy plopped down at the counter and spun the stool to stare at Loki. “There’s a pregnant man in front of me,” she said flatly. She blinked hard then looked at Jane. “Jane, is there really a pregnant dude right there?”

Jane rolled her eyes. “You’ve eaten up the gossip about them, yes, you know there is a pregnant man-“

“Yeah but gossip is not like seeing a PREGNANT DUDE with my OWN EYES!” she cried frantically, then waved a hand at Loki. “No offence magic-pregnant-dude-who-can-kill-me!”

Thor laughed. “Fear not. Loki wouldn’t harm you, Darcy,” he said, then dropped a large basket on the counter beside Steve. “Loki, I come bearing a surprise!”

Loki raised an eyebrow at the clearly Asgardian basket. “I can only imagine it’s some form of dead animal you went all the way to Asgard to slay?” he asked sarcastically, earning a smirk from Tony.

Thor just chuckled “Actually, you will enjoy this surprise immensely,” he said, whipping the red cloth open to expose the top of the stack inside. “Just as you mentioned a few times.”

Loki’s eyes widened and he beamed. “Golden apples!” He held out his hands. “Bring some,” he demanded.

Thor took three and then put the cloth back in place, leaving them beside Steve and Darcy, who looked curious but alarmed at the prospect of anything from Asgard being on a food prep surface. Thor walked over and handed two of them to Loki, taking a bite out of the other himself. “I must admit, I had not picked apples in a long time,” he said, sitting beside Loki.

Loki held one of the large, golden apples in his palm and squeezed like he was going to squish it then held out his palm to Tony, offering him one of the six parts the apple had been magically sliced into. “Here, eat this,” he instructed.

Tony took a piece and bit into it, then hummed. “Wow, that doesn’t taste at all like an apple. It’s like candy,” he said, eating the rest of the piece in a few bites. “It’s cool how the outside is glittery gold like _gold_ and the inside is yellow. Definitely weird when it looks like an apple.”

Loki smiled a small, pleased smile then held out his hand again. “More,” he instructed, watching almost too closely as Tony ate another piece. After he had got Tony to eat four of the six pieces while he and Bruce spoke to Jane, he let out a relieved sigh that caught Bruce’s attention.

“What’s up with you and plying Tony with apples?” Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tony looked down at the last bite of the fourth piece then hummed. “It is kinda weird. I can feed myself, Hon,” he said and Loki simply nodded to the piece before speaking, making sure Tony ate it all.

“Good, have more,” he said, giving him the next piece. “Eat-“

Tony looked amused. “I’m not actually hungry anymore-“

“Then finish this apple and you can eat more later,” Loki said simply, nodding at the apple pieces. He watched as Tony ate the fifth piece and then hesitated on the sixth.

“Lokiiiii,” Tony looked up suspiciously. “What are you doing?”

Bruce looked tense. “Loki, did you do something to the apple-“

“Oh by the Norns,” Loki groaned. He lifted the sixth piece to his lips and took a bite, then shoved the rest of it at Tony. “See? Not going to hurt you. Honestly, as if I’d poison my husband-“

“Well maybe not poison me,” Tony said, obediently eating the last of the apple. “But I wouldn’t put it past you to like… turn my hair green.”

Jane looked at the basket, gesturing. “So what is with the apples? And why are you so intent on Tony eating them?”

Loki smiled as soon as Tony swallowed the last of the apple and hummed delightedly. “It’s quite simple; Anthony is frighteningly mortal and, though I have many protections placed on him, I cannot protect him from time with my magic.” He nodded at the apple Thor was eating. “On Asgard, we eat golden apples to heal our bodies, to increase our strength, and to renew our vitality. I’ve been thinking ever since I became pregnant about how Anthony is aging every single day and you humans live such short amounts of time.” He shrugged with a bashful smile. “Call me selfish, but I just can’t have that. Eating golden apples when I can get them for him will help Anthony heal faster, keep him from aging as much, and prolong his life far better than any human science.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean I’m aging?” he demanded. “I get your apple thing, that’s totally fine by me, but ‘aging’?!”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Anthony, since I tried to kill you your hair has gone grayer and the lines around your eyes have deepened noticeably. You are forty years old. That is beyond the halfway point of the average human lifetime.” He narrowed his eyes. “I am not going to let time take you from me that easily.”

Tony’s smile softened and he leaned over and kissed Loki. “Loki, I can’t live forever,” he whispered and Loki sighed.

“I am well aware, my dear, however you can live longer than most humans do with the help of the apples.” He smirked. “Also, golden apples are not meant to leave Asgard so I can break the law and vex Odin by giving them to a human.” 

Thor chuckled. “And I once again break the rules for Loki,” he joked. “But yes, Anthony, you should live a long, healthy life for your child’s sake as long as you have golden apples occasionally.” He nodded to hi. “Even now, you should feel more energized just from the one apple. One is not enough to undo some of the lines in your face or add more time to your life, but just one apple should restore some vitality and ease any ails you are suffering.”

Darcy let out a soft sound. “Awwwww that’s the cutest thing a creepy guy ever did!” she said, smiling at Loki and Tony. “That’s adorable. You’re trying to Fountain of Youth your husband so he’s around longer for your kid. It’s weird yet adorable.”

Tony scoffed. “Your face is weird yet adorable,” he said, then frowned. “Whatever, leave Loki alone, he’s looking out for our kid!” 

Darcy shrugged. “Still a little creepy.”

Jane nodded. “Yeah, sweet yet creepy,” she agreed with a reluctant shrug. “But hey, I get it. If I was having a baby and my husband was frighteningly shorter lived than me, I’d freak out too.”

“Speaking of ‘having a baby’,” Darcy gestured to Loki, “When the hell are you due cause you’re kinda giant.”

Loki shrugged. “I cannot know for sure, but I assume at any time now. Much larger and I will simply burst.”

Darcy gave a slightly alarmed look. “How is it gonna… come out?” she asked, looking a little green.

Loki snorted. “Same way it went in, what do you think?”

She gaped. “You mean you’ve got… extra parts down there?” she asked and Jane looked fascinated yet disturbed.

Steve, however, dropped his banana. “Oh God… I had avoided thinking about how Loki got pregnant before now,” he realized and Darcy snickered.

“Well, Steve, when a mommy and a daddy-“

Steve glared and shut her up. “I know that, thank you, miss.”

Jane gave him a sheepish look, then finally spoke. “So… you have a-“

“I do not have female reproductive organs, if that is what you are going to ask,” Loki said flatly. “Jotunns do not have the same reproductive system between genders, rather males have a similar yet different system-“

Bruce paled. “Wait, so you mean… it comes out how it got in?” he asked and Loki smirked at the way everybody turned a little green.

“Why yes, Dr. Banner. It is a natural function of my body,” he said innocently, loving how even Thor – who know this all – looked disturbed. Tony looked alarmed.

“Jesus, I figured that, but… wow.” He raised an eyebrow at Loki. “Isn’t that gonna hurt?”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Yes, you moron, giving birth generally does hurt,” he said, then shrugged. “But I’ve read on the subject. My body is designed for giving birth, just like a female of any species. And as dramatized as it seems in many of your films, females of your species used to give birth and within the hour go straight back to working in a field-“

“Holy shit, they did?” Steve asked, looking horrified.

Bruce chuckled. “He’s not lying. A lot of places women have a baby and maybe not ‘within the hour’, but in the same day, they’re back to work in a field or whatever trade they do because they have to feed their family and there’s no time to relax and take a break to rest after giving birth.” He made a face. “Although, these are also areas where other times, women die during childbirth because there’s no doctors for when things don’t go right.”

Loki nodded. “Things can and do go wrong, but it’s the natural order of things.” He rubbed his middle with a smile. “Although, while I am almost certain I cannot do magic while giving birth, the magic that is always in me should prevent anything from going wrong. And Dr. Banner and I have already spoken about him being there when my child is born to care for it, as it is a human baby.”

Jane looked impressed. “So, now you’re a midwife?” she asked and Bruce chuckled.

“I’ve never helped with a birth but I’ve examined first-day newborns before, so I can at least be sure nothing obvious is wrong. After that, Loki and Tony can find a real doctor.” He waved a hand. “Medical experience in impoverished areas doesn’t a MD make and all.”

Tony just shrugged. “You’re my MD, so it’s close enough.”

Bruce smirked. “That’s because you hate doctors-“

“They’re not normal!” Tony defended, earning a groan from Steve and Loki.

“Ignore them,” Loki warned Jane and Darcy. “Anthony hates physicians and has no valid reason and he and Bruce can argue all day long-“

“I heard that!”

~

_Thor was running, swinging Mjolnir with all his might, towards the column of light that came from the sky and highlighted the battleground in front of him. As he fought off the creatures that were too jumbled for him to identify, he could only think for getting to the light._

_In the center of the light, Loki stood frozen, surrounded by the beasts with a bundle clutched to his chest. Thor knew it was his nephew the creatures were after and he would not watch his brother lose is child. He could hear the battle raging around him in every direction but he could only fight his way through a straight line. As he drew near the light and burst through the outer ring of the beams, he gave a triumphant cry, hailing his victory. “Loki! Come to me! Come and we shall make our escape!” he cried. However, as he drew nearer, his heart stopped. Though Loki stood tall and still, Thor could see the frozen, broken look on his brother’s face. “Loki?” he called as he approached, only to stop in his tracks when he realized Loki’s hands were red with blood and his clothing was soaked down the front._

_Coming from the bundle in his arms._

_“No!” Thor gasped. Loki gave no reaction so he rushed the last few steps and reached out for the blankets only to have the blue fabric disintegrate into a flush of blood that soaked them both and tore a shrill cry of anguish from Loki’s throat._

_“NO!” Loki screamed, suddenly falling to his knees._

_Thor stumbled back, shaking his head in horror. “No, this cannot be-“_

_“Thor-“_

_“Not the child-“_

_“THOR-“_

_“Loki-“ he breathed, only to be shaken by an invisible force._

_“THOR WAKE UP!”_

Thor snapped awake, jumping out of his bed only to fall, tangled by his sheets. He shook himself free and stood, looking around frantically only to see Jane was standing at the door with a cup and a worried look on her face. “Thor, are you okay?” she asked, holding up a hand tentatively.

Thor let it sink in that he was only dreaming and nodded, dropping to the side of the bed. “I am alright. I just had the most- most horrible dream,” he breathed, putting his face in his hands.

However, just as he sighed in relief at waking from such a dream, a distant yet blood-curdling dream echoed down the hall and his head snapped up. “Loki!”

Jane jumped out of the way as Thor – in his pajama clad glory - sprinted for the open stairs that separated the main, communal floor from Thor’s apartment. It was only one floor below so there was simply a staircase, not the building stairwell, separating them and, for once, Thor was very grateful for that architectural choice. When he reached the living room above, Jane thumping up the stairs after him, he found the commotion and the source of the scream.

Loki was on the couch, clearly not awake, kicking and screaming violently. Tony was trying to wake him, holding his wrists to keep from being injured by Loki’s flailing, while Steve and Tony’s assistant, Maria, stood nearby, looking on in shock. “Loki, Loki, wake up, please,” Tony was begging. “Loki, please stop, you’re going to hurt yourself!”

Thor walked over and knelt beside Tony, laying his hand on the top of Loki’s head. “Brother,” he said in a deep, echoing voice and Loki gasped, jerking awake so violently he threw Tony back onto the floor in his haste to sit up.

“My baby!” Loki sobbed, reaching for his belly frantically, only to look both confused and utterly relieved as he found himself still pregnant and clearly unharmed. “Oh,” he gasped, then let out a broken sob. “Oh no.”

Thor touched his shoulder and Loki jerked, but looked up. Thor sat beside him and Loki absently grabbed his brother’s arm. “Thor… Thor they found me,” he said in a hoarse voice.

Thor’s understanding suddenly shattered and he paled rapidly. “Loki, what did you do?” he asked fearfully and Loki looked up with tears on his cheeks. “Loki?”

“Thor you know what I did.” His voice shook and he swallowed hard. “You saw the powers I used and you know that, even if I got them ‘from’ the One Who Controlled Me, you know what powers they were.”

Thor looked on gravely as Loki put his face in his hands. “I was visited as well,” he admitted and Loki looked up in surprise. “Just before your scream sounded, I woke from what I fear was the same dream.”

Loki shook his head. “You can’t have. If you did it means-“

“You know I did and I know what that means,” Thor agreed in a pained voice. 

“What the hell are you two going on about?” Tony demanded and Loki looked up at him.

“Anthony! When did you-“

“You kinda threw me across the room, Honey,” Tony said with concern in his voice. “You okay?” he asked, stepping up to look down at him.

Loki shook his head and leaned forward, resting his forehead against Tony’s chest. “No, I am not.” He clung to his middle. “Anthony something terrible is coming for me.”

Tony pulled back and made Loki look at him, everyone in the room reacting. “What?! Loki, what’s coming? And why?”

Loki composed himself and sighed. “When I was lost, I had extra powers. Power that came from another realm.” He looked up, at Tony. “That realm was the realm of the Elves. The powers I had were dark powers from the dwarves. The dwarves are gods, just like the Aesir, just like Jotunns. Only their powers are less physical and more sinister.” He flinched. “Their powers control chaos. They are destructive. They bring about disasters and carnage and violence. They have the power to destroy things born or built with the same ease.” He looked up. “I took power from them… and they want to take something from me in return.”

Tony frowned. “What are you-“ He paled as he glanced down at Loki’s middle then back. “You don’t mean-“

Thor nodded. “Jane woke me from a terrible dream in which I was fighting to get to Loki – in the middle of a beam of light – and when I got there, he was holding a bundle in his arms. Only when I drew nearer did I realize there was blood all down his front. He was frozen and when I reached out to touch the blankets, the bundle crumbled into blood and Loki fell to his knees screaming.”

Loki let out a broken sob. “They are called Mares. The Mares are dwarves who sit on the chest of a sleeping person and whisper horrible dreams into their ears-“

Tony shook his head. “They’re just dreams. Nothing but dreams, right?”

Thor shook his head. “They are generally premonitions, my friend.”

Tony glowered. “No, they’re not. Nothing is going to take our baby, Loki,” he said firmly, pulling Loki’s face up to look into his eyes. “Nobody or nothing is going to hurt him,” he swore.

Loki gave a broken whimper. “They are so strong, my dear. So much stronger than anything we know. Stronger than any of us can hope to be-“

“Nothing is stronger than a parent who thinks their child is threatened,” Tony argued. “ _Nothing_. No dwarves or Mares or whatever, NOTHING is going to hurt my baby. You and I won’t let them.”

Loki smiled hopefully. “I do not intend to, Anthony, but-“

Tony kissed him sweetly. “But nothing. No fucking dwarves are going to hurt our baby. Not in this lifetime.”

Thor smiled sadly but nodded, standing to clap a hand on both Tony and Loki’s shoulders. “That is the spirit, my friends.” He gestured for the others to leave them be on his way out, glancing back to see Tony holding Loki. Thor could only hope that Anthony had some plan Thor did not know about, because he knew what would happen if the dark elves really did plan to take Loki’s child.

There would be little to stop them.

~

For several days, nothing happened. 

Loki was beginning to think nothing was going to happen. He didn’t know how else to explain his and Thor’s identical dreams, but it had been several days and nothing had seemed even slightly off. Tony felt confident that everything was going to be alright, and Loki only hoped he was not wrong. 

As it was, Loki was giving an interview downstairs in a meeting room when things finally went wrong.

“No, actually Anthony and I had never even talked about children. I had no idea I could become pregnant,” he said with a polite smile as the woman made notes. Maria nodded from his side, telling him it was going well. 

“Did you decide to get married because of the baby?” she asked. “It came out you were engaged and pregnant at the same time, after all.”

Loki smiled charmingly, chuckling. “Actually, no. I knew I was with child, but I was not sure how Anthony would react so I had not told him. And then one night he proposed to me, with this beautiful ring and everything, and I could not be happier, yet I knew that I couldn’t hide it much longer. It was after an argument a few days later that I told him we could not get married because he – to that point – had only seemed to not want anything to do with having children and I was pregnant. I told him I was going to have this baby and I couldn’t marry him if he didn’t want to be a parent. I expected I had lost him, but to my surprise, he was actually quite happy,” he said with a fond sigh. “He’d been thinking about children since I asked and realized he would like to be a father and have a family, he was just afraid he would not do well. But finding out he was going to be a father whether he liked it or not was apparently a wonderful thing for him.”

“So you agreed to marry him?” she asked and Loki nodded.

“Yes. I told him I thought he had more than enough room in his heart to love a child and be a good father and for some reason, he believes me. And at this point, I’ve convinced him quite well that he’ll be a good father.” He chuckled. “He’s very excited. It could be any day now and we cannot wait-“

BOOOOOM!

They were all startled by the sound of a loud explosion and the building rattling entirely. Maria was to her feet instantly. “That was probably a testing accident, I better report-“

“No,” Loki breathed. A giant, crushing weight of fear fell onto his shoulders and he stood shakily, hands going to his middle. “Not now,” he whispered, looking down. “Not my baby,” he breathed.

Maria realized immediately what he was thinking and grabbed the writer. “You have to go. Evacuation route A on the map by the elevator. Run!” she said and the woman wasted no time. She sprinted from the room before Loki had even turned. “Mr. Stark, come with me,” she said, taking his elbow.

Loki snapped out of it and looked up. “We have to get to Anthony,” he said quickly. They rushed to the elevator and Loki was already pressing the penthouse button before they were even fully inside. “JARVIS! Override, please. I have to get up-“

“You have been rerouted to the panic room in Testing Laboratory C,” JARVIS informed him and Loki yelped at how fast the elevator rocketed downwards, nearly forceful enough to buckle his knees. 

“Why? What’s wrong?” he asked, looking at Maria, who had her Stark Phone out.

JARVIS didn’t reply at first but did as soon as the doors opened. “The building is under attack and Mr. Stark has demanded you be taken to the safest place-“

“In the tower,” Steve said as he fell into step with them. “Can you run?” he asked and Loki glared.

“I’m jogging as fast as I can right now, if you didn’t miss the giant pregnant belly,” he snapped. “What’s going on?” he asked, surprised when Hawkeye fell into step beside them. Steve was not in uniform but he was. “What happened?”

“The building is under attack,” Clint said. “Thor says it’s Dark Elves or something-“

“You said that the other morning,” Steve said and Loki nodded gravely, yelping when they grabbed his arms and shoved him to the side, only to scream slightly when the glass above them shattered with a blast.

“Get him inside, fast!” Clint cried, shoving the door open. They rushed into the lab and Maria shot the door behind them, rushing over to the testing console.

“Mr. Stark gave me override,” she said, hitting a few buttons before the concrete floor opened and they found a spiral staircase going downwards. “Get in,” she said and Loki wasted no time letting them lead him down.

When they all got below, the ceiling slid shut, but they were distracted from looking up by Loki suddenly whining and slumping to the floor in the corner, sliding down the wall. “No,” he whimpered, forehead furrowed as he made a pained face.

Maria rushed over. “Mr. Stark? Are you okay?” she asked, grabbing his hand. “Loki!”

Loki let out a breath and looked up. “Oh no,” he hissed. He looked up at Steve and Clint, then at Maria. “Oh God.”

“What’s oh God?” Clint asked.

Steve, however, paled. “Oh God,” he said in realization. “Loki… please tell me that random pained face wasn’t you-“

“Going into labor?” Loki asked, leaning his head back. “Unfortunately, Captain, I cannot tell you that.” He let out a weak huff. “I felt a few twinges earlier, but I just thought I was fatigued,” he admitted and Clint gave a horrified look to Steve, then up to the sealed roof.

“Loki, you cannot be in labor,” he said seriously. “This is seriously not the time-“

“You think I don’t know that?” Loki asked, letting his feet slide out in front of him. “This can’t happen,” he breathed. “I cannot be trapped in a panic bunker with you three while in labor. I-“

“Loki, it’s Tony.” Loki snapped up to see Clint, who was digging an extra earpiece out of his vest. “Here,” he said, holding it out. “Tony, we’ve got a situation,” Clint started and Loki put the piece in.

“Anthony?” he asked fearfully.

“Loki? Loki, are you alright? I’m suiting up, where are you?”

Loki chuckled. “Anthony, everything is far from alright. It’s them isn’t it?”

Tony hesitated but sighed. “Yeah. Thor is out fighting them now while the rest of us get suited up. We need Clint, where is he?”

Clint stood up. “I’m here, I’m in the panic room.”

“Shit,” Tony cursed. “That door won’t open until the danger is over. I wanted Steve in there with Loki and Maria to protect them but we needed you.”

Loki cringed as pain built in his back and spread around to the front. “Yes, well, funny that, because we desperately need Dr. Banner,” he said, voice strained.

Tony was quick to jump to conclusions. “Did someone get hurt? Maria? Is she okay?-“

“She’s fine,” Steve said, watching Loki. “But Loki’s kind of having the baby. Now.”

“WHAT?!” Tony cried and Loki laughed weakly. “Loki-“

“I’m alright,” Loki said, sniffing before nodding. “I’m alright. I wouldn’t want him down here anyhow right now. While we’re under attack, he is going to be of no use and I believe it will not be long enough for things to die down. I’m fine.”

“Loki, you’re having a baby, you’re not fine! You need a doctor-“

“My body is made for this, Anthony,” Loki said sternly. “However, we have more serious problems. The dwarves-“

“Thor said dark elves-“

“Whatever,” Loki argued. “They’re coming for him, Anthony. They’re coming for our son. They are not going to stop until they get him. I fear they are undefeatable but we’re not going to let them get him without a fight, alright?”

Tony’s voice was worried when he spoke again. “Of course not, Loki.” He made a sound and Loki’s heart leapt. “Yep, they’re a lot of them. Loki, I’m staying on okay? If you’re having our baby, you’re not going to do it alone. I’m right here, Honey.”

Loki smiled sadly. “Alright, sounds good.” 

“Sounds good?!” Steve demanded, pacing in the small room. “Sounds GOOD?! There is a MAN giving BIRTH!” He put his hands over his face. “Oh my God there is a man about to give birth. In this room. With me. What the hell?”

Clint raised an eyebrow. “Steve, dude, this has been news for a year-“

“But there is a _man_ , Clint! A man-“ He waved his hands at Loki. “He’s- HE IS GOING GO GIVE BIRTH! Right there!”

“Yes, Steven, that is the idea,” Loki said, and Steve looked away, eyes going anywhere but at Loki. “Look, it’s a natural thing-“

“Oh no it is not, it’s NOT natural,” Steve argued, putting his face in his hands. “Oh my God what is this? How is this real? Am I alive-“

Clint snickered. “Dude, Tony, Steve’s losing it man-“

“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!” Steve yelped, then covered his eyes, looking away. “Nope, no, not happening.”

Clint looked over and wasn’t surprised to see Maria helping Loki get out of his clothes. “Look, Steve, dude, he can’t have a baby in that suit. It’s no big deal.”

“A. Man. Is. Giving. BIRTH!” Steve hissed, then turned and walked to the corner behind the stairs. “I’m not here, I’m really not,” he moaned, facing the corner rather than the rest of the room. “This is just… it’s too much. It’s just too much.”

A new voice chuckled on the line. “Cap finally lost it?” Natasha asked and Clint giggled.

“Dude, it’s hilarious.” He walked over and sat on the stairs, facing Loki and Maria. “You guys okay?” he asked and Loki nodded.

“We’re fine. Maria, if this isn’t something you can handle-“

Maria shook her head. “I’m not sure I can- uh…” She gestured. “I don’t do well with blood and-“

Loki chuckled, catching her hand. “It’s alright. Just stay at my side, please?” he asked, and she nodded. “What about you, Hawkeye?”

Clint just gave him a thumbs up. “I’m good! I’ve seen a lot worse than birth, trust me. I’ll just stay out of the way here. If you need help or anything, just gimme a shout.”

Loki chuckled. “Good to know,” he said, leaning his head back against the wall. 

~

The battle outside was helping distract them all – especially Steve, who was still trying to go to his happy place – from the fact that Loki was seriously close to giving birth. “Nat, how’s it looking?” Clint asked, watching Loki as he clung to Maria’s hand, struggling through another contraction. “Cause Loki is down to a the wire here. This baby is going to be born soon and he said they’re coming for the baby.”

“It- FUCK!- It’s not looking great,” she admitted. “We’re all getting tired and they can teleport.”

“We’ve felled many foes but they are strong,” Thor said over the comms. “Brother, the garage has fallen on top of you. No one will be able to free you for a while yet.”

“What?!” Tony’s voice cried out. “The garage collapsed on top of the panic room? Shit, Loki, are you guys okay? The room should be safe, but if something happens you can’t get out-“

“We should be safe from them here,” Loki panted. “Anthony, how is it going?”

“It’s actually not that bad. SHIELD showed up and we’re beating them back. They just keep-“

“Loki Laufeyson,” a voice boomed and they all froze. It was not from the communications, it was from the very air around them. “We know you are here. We know your child is nearly born. You know what you took from us and we will take something precious from you in return. Your child will be the price for your evils-“

“They will _not_ take my son,” Tony mumbled under his breath, but they all heard him gasp when he got a reply.

“Then you will die as well, mortal!”

Loki panicked. “ANTHONY!” he cried. “Anthony, run. Now. Go wherever. Just get away-“

“Fuck!” Tony shouted. “Thor, oh shit, they’re- I- Loki, don’t let them have him, whatever happens, stop them.”

“Anthony? Anthony are you alright?” Loki cried. “ANTHONY ANSWER ME!”

“Loki- Loki they’ve got me. I can’t fly. I’m- oh God, Loki, Honey, I’m sorry,” Tony spoke in a rush.

Loki’s throat tightened. “Anthony, no,” he whimpered, his heart clenching. “Please, Anthony-“

“I love you, Loki,” Tony said suddenly, breath ragged with adrenaline. “Oh God, this is really it,” he grunted. “Loki, look after him. Look out for our son. You do whatever you have to to keep him safe and make sure he knows about me, okay? I don’t want him to ever think I didn’t love him-“

“Anthony, stop, you’re going to be alright,” Loki argued, gasping as the pain in his body grew tighter. “Maria, Maria he’s coming,” he choked out.

“Is he?” Tony asked, chuckling. “Well son of a bitch, I’m going to be a dad,” he said, voice sounding more and more strained.

Clint stood up and hit the comms. “Guys, I’m cutting out Loki’s comm, he doesn’t need your voices in his ears.”

“No, Clint-“

“Tony, just for a minute, I swear it, just hang in there for a minute okay?” he said, and then there was a click. 

On the outside, the battle raged on without any contact to the inside of the panic room. Within minutes, suddenly there was a burst of feedback and their earpieces were filled with the sound of a wailing baby.

“They’re okay, guys,” Clint said, laughing slightly. “Guys Loki’s alright and we’ve got a new Avenger!”

Even Steve came back from the corner, a look of wonder on his face as he saw Maria had covered Loki with his jacket and given him her jacket to wrap the baby in. Loki was beaming as he held his baby in his arms. “Wow… that’s kinda cool,” Steve muttered and Loki laughed.

“He is so beautiful,” he whispered, then hit his earpiece. “Anthony, we have a son!” he laughed out brightly. But his words were met with no response. Clint and Steve’s faces fell and they shared a look as Loki’s happiness waned. “An-Anthony?” he asked, realization dawning over his features.

Clint cleared his throat. “Guys? Guys who has eyes on Iron Man?”

“Clint,” Natasha rasped out. “Clint, I don’t think anybody else is still out here,” she choked out. She gave a grunt and coughed. “I haven’t seen Thor or any lightening in a while. Hulk was bashing around but I don’t even see him anymore. Most of the SHIELD agents are down-“

“Phil?!” Clint asked quickly, fear in his eyes. “Tasha-“

“Clint- Clint I’m sorry but I don’t think- I think Coulson is down,” she said and Steve put his hand on Clint’s shoulders as Clint stiffened, eyes closed.

“What about Stark?” Steve asked gravely.

Natasha’s gunfire drowned her reply but when she came back she was panting. “Tell Loki that his husband went down fighting.”

Loki’s eyes lost that last spark as he stared down at his baby. “Tell me,” he whispered, fingers stroking over his newborn’s cheek. “Tell me, now.”

“They had some sort of light. The lifted him up, suspended him for a minute, then slammed him into the ground. I didn’t see where he hit, but he couldn’t… I’m sorry, Loki,” she said, and she sounded sincere. “Tony Stark may have been an ass, but he was a good man.”

Steve swallowed as he watched Maria touch Loki’s shoulder to comfort him. “Natasha, get out, get with SHIELD, and regroup.”

“I’m good, Cap. I’m hunkered down with Hill’s squadron. We’re down to about half the original number of enemies. I think Fury is working containment-“

“Tell him not to bother,” Loki suddenly said, his voice dripping with a darkness that made Clint flinch visibly.

Clint looked up, fear in his eyes. “L- Loki?”

Maria gasped. “Loki!” she cried as he wordlessly – and without any help – stood up. “Mr. Stark what are you-“

“Do not call me that,” he hissed. He turned and handed the baby to her, startling them all. His eyes softened for a moment and his voice grew warm. “Andrew Erik Stark, do not fear. I will not let any harm come to you,” he promised, kissing the baby’s head. 

They all actually backed up a step when Loki held out his arms and suddenly his battle outfit – black leather, golden armor plates, green accents, all of it – materialized onto his body in a haze of blue light. He straightened his vambraces and stood tall, suddenly seeming much larger and more imposing than any person who just gave birth ever should. Steve stood his ground but Clint, with a haunted look, actually stepped back some. “Loki what- what are you doing?”

Loki sneered. “Memories bothering you, Barton?” he asked, and Steve’s jaw clenched.

“Loki, look, what are you going to do? You’re trapped here, just like us.” Steve held out a hand. “I’m so sorry about Tony-“

“SILENCE YOUR TONGUE YOU PUNY MORTAL!” Loki snarled, rage in his face like none of them had seen in a long time. He let out a dark laugh, bordering on manic. “You forget yourselves. I am a god!” he sneered, and then, in a flash, he was gone, leaving the other three dumbfounded and stuck in a panic room with a newborn baby and no idea what had just happened.

~

Loki knew pain. Loki knew suffering. Loki had experienced every form of torture known to the gods and he was not a stranger to their methods. He knew fear and he knew what it would do to a person. He knew how weak and strong threat could make one.

However, this? The feeling that filled him as he appeared on the roof of the tower in the middle of the battle? It was _rage_.

Loki looked around at the battle-torn streets far below and scoffed at the human emergency lights in the distance, blocking off the area. They were so stupid to think they could contain an attack from Dark Elves. The sky was darkened by the clouds Thor had summoned before he had been struck down and Loki felt a pang of fear at the thought of losing his brother as well.

However, as he spotted his target - Girda, the queen of the warrior dwarves – his fears left him entirely. Loki leapt off the roof, exhilaration filling him as the cold air whipped past his body as he fell. He heard cries of alarm, but he held out his hands as he neared the ground and righted himself. He floated down into the beam of light – the beam that haunted his nightmares – and smirked as he caught the attention of every dwarf in the area. “Girda,” he called and she turned.

“Ah, Loki Laufeyson,” she sneered. “Are you ready to pay your debt?” she asked, voice mocking. “We will spare your new dominion should you hand him over peacefully.”

Loki smiled darkly, feeling thousands of eyes on him. “You will not touch my child, Girda. And you will leave if you do not want to die.”

“HA! You? Kill me?” she cried in disbelief. “Oh Loki Laufeyson, how dimwitted are you? Have the humans made you this stupid? She tossed her purple hair over her shoulder and stalked closer. “Loki Laufeyson, you stole from my realm. You will repay the debt or I will rain destruction upon this world you hold dear-“

“Have it, I care not for this mortal realm,” he jeered. “I’d see it burn before I gave you my son.”

Her lips curled and she waved a hand. “Then we shall find him and take him ourselves. I will slit his infant throat in front of your eyes and you will have no way to stop me,” she taunted and Loki hissed angrily.

“You wish you could stop me,” he spat.

She and her entire army – barely bothering to fight the SHIELD soldiers – laughed at him openly, their hideous hoots echoing around the square. “Loki Laufeyson, you have not the power to stop me. You cannot fight me-“

Loki cut her off by teleporting to her face suddenly, startling her as he grabbed her throat. “My name,” he spoke loudly, voice booming so that all could hear. “Is Loki _Stark_!” He lifted her off the ground in one hand. “And you, you foolish elf, took my husband from me today.” He turned around, looking around the ring of light as he held her aloft, ignoring her struggles. “You and your queen have taken my husband and threatened my infant!” he called loud and clear. He looked up into her fearful eyes. “And if there is one thing my husband taught me recently, it is that nothing makes a man more dangerous than taking his things and that nothing makes a parent stronger than when it is in between a danger and its child.” He laughed viciously. “You took what was mine and threatened our son, Girda, and for that you will pay dearly.” 

He didn’t hesitate to snap her neck and toss her body away. Around him, the army she brought screamed, rage-filled howls echoing through the city. “COME AND PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!” he screamed, rage, and pain, and guilt, and loss, and his love for his husband and child filled him as he rose into the air, glowing brighter than the beam of light. “PAY YOU BEASTS!” 

And suddenly, the dark elves all swarmed forward, every single one of them coming to avenge their queen. Loki looked out at the SHIELD forces drawing back and caught sight of red hair standing on top of an overturned bus. He nodded his head to her and she nodded back and then turned to lead the retreat. Loki rose higher and higher, drawing the enemy in closer, before suddenly he looked do the sky and let out a terrifying laugh, empty of all abandon. “And so it ends.”

Some would go on to say the explosion that rocked the square a few blocks from the Avengers Tower was blue and vaporized the buildings within two-hundred feet of it. Some would even say that the screams of the monsters overpowered even the blast itself. Others would say that the light that flickered out was the sign of the monsters leaving their bodies and escaping. But once the dust had settled and there was visible footage of the blast zone, nobody could miss the way that the bodies of the tall, hulking, human-like monsters were mutilated beyond recognition. Blood settled inches deep in the street, flesh and body parts hung around separated from the bones and sinews that once filled them. Every single beast had been torn asunder and each spine ripped from the body itself in a gruesome and unexplainable product of the blast that tore them to shreds.

And in the middle of it all, there was a huddled figure wearing black leather, gold armor, and a green cape. 

When SHIELD began to move back in, it had been more than an hour since the blast before it was deemed safe to enter. Natasha was the first to reach the figure that knelt, frozen in anguish, in amongst the carnage. “Loki?” she asked tentatively, stopping a few meters away. Loki lifted his head and slowly stood. He was soaked in the blood of the enemy, tears having washed a few streaks away from his cheeks. He stood tall, but just one glance showed how broken his weary eyes seemed to be. “Loki, it’s alright,” she tried, holding up her hands. She even dropped her gun as she approached. “Can you hear me?”

Loki swallowed hard and let out a raspy breath. “How is my son?” he asked weakly.

She nodded. “We got them out. He’s at a hospital to be sure he’s fine but he was alright. It’s just to make sure.” She pulled an earpiece out of her pocket and held it up. “Here. You can talk to them.”

Loki moved to take the earpiece and put it in. “Captain, how is my son?”

“Brother!”

Loki’s eyes flew open. “Thor?! Thor are you alright?”

“Brother, your son is a strong, beautiful child!” he congratulated. “And yes, I’m sorry if you feared, but I am well. I was unconscious and they took me to a mortal hospital. We managed to find many of our friends quite well. Son of Coul, for example, is having surgery on his leg now. And Dr. Banner came staggering in just a little while ago.

Loki chuckled weakly. “That is wonderful, Thor,” he said, then swallowed hard. “Tell Maria she is getting a raise as soon as possible. And check that Ms. Potts is alright.”

“Hey, Loki?” Clint called across the line suddenly. “First off, never make me think you’re going evil again,” he said and Loki smiled weakly. “And secondly, I found somebody in another ward you may want to hear from.”

Before Loki could ask if Ms. Potts was well enough to speak, something miraculous happened. “Hey Honey, tough day at the office for you too?”

Loki couldn’t breathe. “Anthony?” he whispered, too afraid to hope. He looked up at Natasha and saw surprise on her usually stoic face, and then let out a broken sound. “Anthony is it really you?”

“In the flesh, sweetheart. Ow, speaking of which, do stitches gross you out?” Tony asked, voice strained. “Cause babe, I’m kinda a pin cushion right now-“

“I thought you dead!” Loki choked out, tears filling his eyes. “Anthony, I thought you were gone.”

“Nah, not rid of me that easily. Say, I hear from Clint we’ve got a baby boy!” Tony said and Loki laughed in relief.

“We do. Oh Andrew is safe, Thor tells me. Healthy and quite well. He is at the hospital just to be sure.” Loki sniffled and wiped at his face. “I’m going to see him now, so you better be awake when I get around to finding you.”

Tony hummed. “Not sure I can, Honey, they got me on the good drugs. But maybe you can get around when I wake up and let me meet my boy?” he asked hopefully and Loki nodded, biting his lip as he fought not to scream from joy.

“As soon as I can, my dear.”

“Good stuff,” Tony said. “Just hurry up, okay? I want to see my baby.”

Loki beamed and Natasha even gave him a small smile. “Then you will.”

~

Loki cleaned himself and magiced on some less frightening clothes on the way to the hospital with Natasha. When he got there, Maria was waiting and took him to Andrew, who was perfectly fine. They were reluctant to let him check the baby out, since he was a newborn and they didn’t expect him to leave so soon, but Loki was able to convince them that they had always planned for a home birth and their own pediatrician. He took Andrew with him and held him close, keeping a glamour cast over him so that he appeared to be just a bundle of clothes as they made their way to the recovery room Tony and Agent Coulson had been lucky enough to be put in together. 

Natasha was there with the others when Loki and Maria got there and she stood up, letting them pass. Thor met them, reaching out to push the blankets back and look at his nephew. “He is awake!” he said and Loki smiled, nodding.

“He’s very calm but he is awake,” he confirmed, looking down at his beautiful child. 

Bruce and Steve both shuffled over, keeping quiet since Tony was still asleep, so they could see the baby. “Oh wow, he’s a big fella,” Bruce said, smiling warmly at the baby. “Jesus, he looks like Tony,” he said and Steve chuckled.

“No denying that hair,” he said and Loki absently brushed at the dark curls that decorated his baby’s head.

“Nor those eyelashes,” Loki mumbled, looking at the baby’s big, dark blue eyes. “He will probably have brown eyes like Anthony as well.”

“Somebody say my name?” Tony mumbled, clearly waking up. He blinked a few times and Loki turned smoothly, walking closer.

“Anthony?” Loki whispered softly, careful of alarming him. His heart leapt when Tony’s eyes blinked open and he stared for a second before lifting his head.

“Loki, thank fuck,” Tony said, sitting up with a wince. Loki reached out to stop him and Tony waved his hand away. “Loki, I was so scared you would get hurt,” he said, reaching out to touch Loki’s face, only to stop, blinking. “Oh shit,” he breathed, eyes falling to the face looking back at him from the bundle in Loki’s arms. “Hey you,” Tony said brightly, reaching out to touch his little hand. “Oh my God, how out of it am I that I didn’t see this handsome little guy when I looked at you?”

Loki knew he had to look stupid with the gigantic smile across his face but he didn’t care. He sat down on the bed beside Tony’s hip and shifted Andrew. “Andrew, my darling boy, meet Dad,” he said, looking up at the wonder that was shining on Tony’s face. “Anthony, this is our son.”

“I got that part,” Tony said, then laughed suddenly. “Oh my God, I’m a dad, how cool is that?!” He leaned closer and kissed Andrew’s little face. “Andrew, you are so perfect and beautiful and you’re kind of the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You and your father, you’re my whole world, you know?” He held his little finger and shook his head. “Jesus, I’m the luckiest man alive.”

Loki whimpered. “You are my world too, Anthony.” His broken whisper had Tony looked up quickly, alarm on his face. Loki let out a weak sob and threw his free arm around Tony’s neck, pressing their foreheads together. “I thought you died. I was talking to you and then the line stopped and then when it came back I’d given birth but you were gone and they said you were dead and my entire world crumbled around me-“

“Loki, hey, hey I’m alright?” Tony soothed, tilting his lips to kiss Loki sweetly. “Babe, I’m right here. It’s okay-“

“It is NOT okay,” Loki gasped out. “I was filled with so much rage it’s a miracle that I was able to _stop_ after I slaughtered the entire army of Dark Elves-“

“Whoa, Loki did WHAT?!” Bruce’s voice cut in, but Loki didn’t look away.

“The only reason I was able to come back into myself was knowing that Andrew needed me,” Loki admitted. He stroked Tony’s cheek gently. “If I had lost you before I had him, I fear I would’ve slipped into darkness.”

“Can we get back to the part where you took out the _entire army of Dark Elves when they were kicking our asses_?” Bruce asked again. Everybody looked at him curiously and he raised an eyebrow. “What? Last time Loki went all ‘dark power’ Hulk beat the crap out of him. This time Hulk was getting hammered and _ran away to hide_ he was losing so bad, and you mean Loki was able to randomly go ‘vengeance’ and kill the whole army?”

Natasha smirked evilly. “None of you have been out there have you?” she asked and everybody looked confused. She grinned. “Dude, it’s _gruesome_! Loki grabbed the leader by the throat and basically called his shots, snapped her neck to piss them off, levitated a little bit to get them all under him in that weird light beam, then he made an explosion so nobody saw what exactly happened, but when the dust cleared, the streets were running red with blood and there were dismembered Dark Elf bodies all over the place. Like… _de-boned dismembered bodies_ ,” she stressed. “Grosses and coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Loki hung his head as everyone else looked on in horror. Tony touched his leg. “Honey? You alright?” he asked gently and Loki scoffed.

“Look, I play nice, I’m ‘tamed’, but I’m still a god,” he said pointedly. “At the crux of it all, I am still a very powerful magician.” He shrugged. “In this case, I was a heartbroken and enraged god who thought his husband had been killed _while I was giving birth trapped in an underground bunker_ ,” he stressed. “I was exhausted from giving birth, elated my child was healthy and in my arms, and then I come back to the radio transmissions to hear my husband had been attacked and was dead.” He glanced around.” Needless to say, emotionally traumatized has new meaning for me,” he said simply, driving the point home by sneering. “And that stupid bitch was here to kill my son as well as the husband she had just stolen from me so I snapped her neck and then ripped her army’s spines from their bodies and ripped flesh from bone that they may know how it feels to be _ripped apart_ like I was when my husband was taken from me before he ever heard the cries of his newborn son,” he finished darkly. “There is nothing more dangerous than a parent who feels their child is in danger, and there is little more vengeful than a man who thought the person he loved had just been taken from him.”

Tony just kissed Loki, startling even Loki himself. “Loki I’m so sorry you ever had to feel that.” He pulled his lips close again. “I’m sorry you thought for a minute I was gone.” He leaned down and kissed Andrew. “And that you ever feared for his life.” He pulled them both close. “I’d go psychotic if I thought you had died too, Loki. And I’d show no mercy to anybody who came after our baby. Andrew is the most important thing in this world.”

“I can tell you,” Phil’s voice interrupted as he, too, showed he was awake. “The ‘thinking you lost your husband’ thing? Totally true,” he said and Clint raised an eyebrow. “Okay maybe we’re not married, but when Loki brainwashed you and stole you? I did try to kill him,” he said, and Loki laughed.

“Yes you did, Agent Coulson, and you did an admirable job,” he commended. “Still terribly sorry for the ‘nearly killed you’ thing,” he said, then held up his baby. “But look, good thing you failed or he would not be here.”

Phil chuckled tiredly, nodding. “Water under the bridge, Mr. Stark,” he said and Loki smiled. “Things worked out for the better after all.”

Steve shook his head, a haunted look on his face. “I witnessed a man giving birth, there is no way that’s ‘for the better’,” he said and Clint burst into snickers. “It’s not funny, I’ll never sleep again!”

Tony smirked, winking. “Hey Cap, just bill me for the therapy,” he said, then turned to Loki and Andrew. “I love you guys,” he said softly and Loki kissed him sweetly.

“We love you too, Anthony.” He lifted Andrew, petting his cheek. “Don’t we, my darling boy? We love Dad, huh?”

Tony flopped back, cringing. “So hey, we did good huh?” he asked, poking Andrew’s little toes. “With the baby being cute.”

Loki nodded, gazing down at Tony with a playful happiness in his eyes. “We did perfectly.”


End file.
